YOUR TASK ... As an active citizen, your task on this quest is to research an environmental issue - palm oil farming in Borneo - and investigate the perspective (side) of the different views involved.
Palm oil nuts
Borneo after reforestation
Palm oil farmer extracting palm oil
Palm oil is the livelihood for many farmers in Borneo and is used in lots of different products. You may have products that contain palm oil at home (and maybe even in your lunch box!) but there are serious environmental concerns about its production.
Imagine that the Prime Minister asked your class to undertake research and then make a recommendation on the question:
Should Australia continue to import palm oil products from Borneo? The environmentalists say, no.
The manufacturers say, yes.
What do you say? How does it work?
You will use some of the skills we have learned in class, such as:
using a change graphic organiser
making a word document
using 'dropbox'
following links to websites, articles and youtubes on the Internet
making lists
conducting a survey
presenting data
And eventually, we will hold a secret ballot vote.
You will work together in groups of four. There are rubrics on the evaluation page to help you keep on track.
The research
Your group will research how and why palm oil is farmed in Borneo and the effect of current farming practices on the environment.
Your group will make two lists:
List A: the advantages of palm oil.
List B: the disadvantages of current palm oil farming practices and the environmental impact of supporting the importing of palm oil products.
The forum
Each group will contribute ideas to a forum where we will make lists of information, conduct a survey, record our data and brainstorm possible solutions to any problems highlighted by your research.
You will participate in a secret ballot to vote YES or NO on the question:
Should Australia continue to import palm oil products? Taking action!
Based on the outcome of the vote, each group will discuss with their teacher a creative way to make their recommendation to the Prime Minister, for example: poster/youtube/radio ad/play. Include your suggestions for an environmentally-friendly solution.
As an active citizen, your task on this quest is to research an environmental issue - palm oil farming in Borneo - and investigate the perspective (side) of the different views involved.
Palm oil is the livelihood for many farmers in Borneo and is used in lots of different products. You may have products that contain palm oil at home (and maybe even in your lunch box!) but there are serious environmental concerns about its production.
Imagine that the Prime Minister asked your class to undertake research and then make a recommendation on the question:
Should Australia continue to
import palm oil products from Borneo?
The environmentalists say, no.
The manufacturers say, yes.
What do you say?
How does it work?
You will use some of the skills we have learned in class, such as:
- using a change graphic organiser
- making a word document
- using 'dropbox'
- following links to websites, articles and youtubes on the Internet
- making lists
- conducting a survey
- presenting data
And eventually, we will hold a secret ballot vote.You will work together in groups of four.
There are rubrics on the evaluation page to help you keep on track.
The research
Your group will research how and why palm oil is farmed in Borneo and the effect of current farming practices on the environment.
Your group will make two lists:
The forum
Each group will contribute ideas to a forum where we will make lists of information, conduct a survey, record our data and brainstorm possible solutions to any problems highlighted by your research.
You will participate in a secret ballot to vote YES or NO on the question:
Should Australia continue to import palm oil products?
Taking action!
Based on the outcome of the vote, each group will discuss with their teacher a creative way to make their recommendation to the Prime Minister, for example: poster/youtube/radio ad/play. Include your suggestions for an environmentally-friendly solution.